Breaking News: Court Grants Interim Injunction Against JAMB Over Age Discrimination in Admission Processes

A Delta State High Court in Warri has granted an interim injunction restraining the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) from further action on its circular directing tertiary institutions to admit only candidates who will be 16 years old by August 31, 2025.

The order was granted by Justice A.O. Akpovi in Suit No. W/311/FHR/2024 on behalf of all candidates born between September 1, 2009, and December 31, 2009, who passed the JAMB exam in 2024.

In reaction to the October 16, 2024, circular, the 1st Vice President of the Nigerian Bar Association, John Aikpokpo-Martins, instituted the fundamental human rights action. According to him, all candidates who will be 16 years old from January 1, 2025, to December 31, 2025, are eligible for admission, as they form part of the same class of 16-year-olds in 2025.

Justice Akpovi ordered the status quo to be maintained as the admission list before the circular, pending the hearing of the originating motion dated and filed on October 24, 2024. The case has been adjourned to October 31, November 8 and 21, and December 4, 2024.

Aikpokpo-Martins argued that the limitation of the meaning of 16 years old in 2025 to only those born from January 1 to August 31, 2025, is an infringement of the freedom from discrimination guaranteed by Section 41(1) and (2) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999.

The legal practitioner is seeking several reliefs, including a declaration that the circular is unconstitutional, null, and void, and an order directing the respondents to admit and issue letters of admission to all candidates who are due to be 16 years old from January 1, 2025, to December 31, 2025, and who met all other admission criteria.